Netball New Zealand confirms 2018 Calendar

Netball New Zealand confirms 2018 Calendar

Media Update

Thursday 30 November, 2017

The Silver Ferns will build towards one of their busiest international seasons where they will aim to defend both the Netball Quad Series crown and Taini Jamison Trophy.

Netball New Zealand has confirmed the international calendar for 2018 and the domestic events featuring the ANZ Premiership.

The inclusion of the Commonwealth Games on Australia’s Gold Coast in April will add to an action-packed season which starts with England and South Africa hosting the Netball Quad Series in January.

In January the Silver Ferns will travel to London to play the England Roses before heading to Johannesburg to meet the South Africa Proteas and Australian Diamonds.

They will have a final warm-up for the Commonwealth Games when New Zealand host a four day tournament at the North Shore Events Centre in Auckland, where Silver Ferns, Jamaica Sunshine Girls, Malawi Queens and Fiji Pearls will play off for the Taini Jamison Trophy.

The Netball Quad Series returns to New Zealand and Australia in September with the Silver Ferns taking on the England Roses in Auckland as part of a double header with the Australian Diamonds taking on the South Africa Proteas. The action then moves on to Tauranga where the Silver Ferns take on the South Africa Proteas, before crossing the ditch to play the Australian Diamonds.

The international season will climax with a four-test series against the Australian Diamonds for the Constellation Cup in October.

NNZ chief executive Jennie Wyllie said it was an “impressive line-up” of international competition for the Silver Ferns.

“It’s an exciting year for netball when you include the Commonwealth Games into the mix, and the Silver Ferns will have an opportunity to test themselves against a number of our netballing rivals throughout the season,” she said.

“The Netball Quad Series, as shown this year, has become a tightly contested event while the Taini Jamison Trophy is a special event which the netballing community here cherish. The international season is going to finish with that exciting Trans-Tasman rivalry we all enjoy.”

NNZ has also confirmed its domestic calendar starting with the Annual General Meeting fromFebruary 25-26.

The ANZ Premiership and Beko Netball League – the country’s two major events for New Zealand’s elite and rising players – have a later starting date to allow for next year’s Commonwealth Games and will run from May to August. The ANZ Premiership Grand Final will be played on August 12.

Nelson will again host the Netball Super Club competition which enjoyed a successful inaugural event at the Trafalgar Centre this year. Leading clubs from around the world will compete for the Netball Super Club title in August.

The age-group events will take place in July with Tauranga hosting the Netball NZ U19 Champs from July 9-12 and the Netball NZ U17 Champs heads to Palmerston North from July 16-19.

NZ Secondary School Netball teams will be in action in Timaru from October 9-12 with the NZ Secondary Schools Champs to be played at the Southern Trust Events Centre.

Tickets will go on sale to the public for the Taini Jamison Trophy on Friday 15 December. On sale dates for the remaining International Test matches will be announced shortly.

2018 International Calendar:

Netball Quad Series – versus England Roses, in London (Saturday, January 20); versus South Africa Proteas, in Johannesburg, South Africa (Thursday, January 25); versus Australian Diamonds, in Johannesburg, South Africa (Sunday, January 28).

Taini Jamison Trophy – teams include Silver Ferns, Jamaica Sunshine Girls, Malawi Queens and Fiji Pearls, at North Shore Events Centre, Auckland (March 21-24).

Netball Quad Series – versus England Roses, in Auckland (Saturday, September 15); versus South Africa Proteas, in Tauranga (Tuesday, September 18); versus Australian Diamonds, in Australia (Saturday, September 22).

Constellation Cup – versus Australian Diamonds, in New Zealand on Sunday, October 14 at Claudelands Arena in Hamilton; Thursday, October 18 at TSB Bank Arena in Wellington.

2018 National Events:

February – NNZ Annual General Meeting on Saturday 25 and Sunday 26 in Wellington

May to August – ANZ Premiership, Grand Final to be played on Sunday 12 August

May to July – Beko Netball League

July – Age-group netball including Netball NZ U19 Champs in Tauranga (July 9-12) and Netball NZ U17 Champs in Palmerston North (July 16-19)

August - Netball Super Club, Trafalgar Centre in Nelson (August 19-24)

October – NZ Secondary Schools Netball Champs in Timaru (October 9-12)

ENDS.

© Scoop Media